THE DUST BEGINS TO SETTLE

Our company left today and our house is VERY quiet! There are a few packages left under the tree to deliver to Son #2 and family when we visit them next week, but our house definitely has that "after Christmas look" with many leftovers in the refrigerator, several containers of cookies on the kitchen counter, gifts still to put away, and Christmas wrapping paper and tags to stow until next year.

However, looking back is a delight. We had a wonderful time with family and loved ones over the past week. We realized that we were celebrating Christmas this year with four generations gathered together. The first picture shows my mother who was the oldest at our celebration at 93 and the youngest was Grandchild #7 at almost 5 months old.

Miss Ella Bella discovered that Santa had come and eaten all the cookies and polished off the milk that she had left for him the night before. She was quite surprised and a bit dismayed that ALL the cookies were gone!

Grandchild #7 let his sister, Miss Ella Bella, help him open his packages and then she helped Granddaddy open his stocking gifts. When the gifts had been opened, she involved Granddaddy in coloring with her in her new coloring book. He was most happy to help her begin coloring Cinderella's beautiful dress. After having all boys in the family, these girl activities are a new experience for him.

Great-Gram read to Miss Ella Bella and then clowned around with her oldest two great-grandchildren. We had a wonderful time and these picture provide us with some great memories. We are, indeed, thankful that we have had these times to enjoy being together--with still more together times ahead when we gather with Son #2 and family.

WE HAD VISITORS!

Today we had visitors. My sister and her daughter and two children came over. My sister brought flowers for our mom and we went over and the children watched Mom knitting a scarf and then helped decorate her little tree.




Then we called my nephew and invited his family over so the cousins could play and we could have an impromptu Bar-B-Que dinner together. We counted and found four generations at the table tonight. What a blessing to be able to share this time amongst family members.






Of course, we took pictures and were quickly able to share them with my brother and his wife who are still at Mayo where my sister-in-law is quickly recovering (quite miraculously--thanks to many and their prayers!) from a kidney transplant about three weeks ago.